The Laifen Swift Hair Dryer Offers A Luxe Hair Experience In A Compact Package

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I didn't know I could use a new hair dryer. The one I've had works fine and has helped dry my long, wavy hair for countless years. I'd have continued to use the old Conair model gladly until it no longer functioned. When I got the chance to try out the Laifen Swift hair dryer for a no-strings-attached assessment from the company, I was curious about how it would work, but I didn't have over-the-top expectations. I mean, it's a hair dryer, right?

When the Laifen Swift arrived at my doorstep, I was ready to discover if it would combat my hair's issues, from frizziness to flatness, but I wasn't holding my breath. The peak promise of the Laifen Swift is, yes, its swift hair drying along with how quietly it does so. It also boasts an extremely easy-to-use design that's lightweight, practical, and even contains recycled material. The Laifen Swift comes with a diffuser attachments, a styling nozzle, and a "concentrator" for faster drying. When I do style my hair, I always use a diffuser, so I was content that it would meet my needs right out of the box.

As I delved into the Swift's details online, I discovered invisible attributes that satisfied my eco-conscience. Its body contains at least 50% recycled materials along with chemicals that are safer for humans and the environment. What "safer" actually means is kind of ambiguous, but knowing it's made partly from sustainable materials is a checkmark for the "pro" column. So far, things were looking good, but I had yet to see how well it fulfilled its promise of fast, quiet hair drying.

Unboxing the Swift revealed a streamlined beauty. Its pearlescent purplish-gray finish is attractive, and the dark gray attachments complement similar-colored accents on the dryer itself. It's definitely not going to be an embarrassment if I leave it on my counter for guests to see. I was also pleased that most of the minimal packaging was recyclable or easily reusable. This compact contraption has a more hammer-shaped head that doesn't project several inches away from the handle like my Conair's does. This factor might prove helpful for people with strength or grip issues, as well.

Even with an attachment in place, the Swift is lightweight and stays well-balanced in the hand. The attachments click onto the nozzle with magnets rather than snapping on with a plastic projection. There is also a handy magnetic wall mount you can buy separately. It makes use of the magnets that hold the attachments in place for a great way to help keep your bathroom clutter-free.

There are two power levels and a ring light on the dryer's head that changes color to indicate different heat levels: blue for cool, yellow for medium, and red for hot. The manual also has instructions for cleaning the filter to extend the Swift's life and performance. One facet of the Swift that I loved was that the air intake is at the base of the handle rather than on the head, opposite the nozzle. I've had my hair sucked into these design flaws countless times and will never forget the resulting catastrophes (and burnt hair smell). This advancement alone is enough to sell me on the Laifen Swift.

The compact Swift's power belies its size. The Swift is designed with fast, quiet drying in mind – quiet enough to dry a dog's fur without upsetting her. Aside from a slight whine when the diffuser was attached, it delivered on its promises. Although my pups didn't need their fur dried, I did run the dryer near them, and the sound was unthreatening enough to encourage an approach and sniff.

I gave the Laifen Swift a couple of run-throughs, first with the diffuser to pull off my usual wavy look. I was impressed by the results: The curls were well-defined, and my hair in general was full of volume. The diffuser's magnet held it securely in place, despite some very dramatic movements on my part. In minutes, the dryer left my mane as dry as I wanted it.

However, when I used a sound level meter app to compare the decibels between my Conair and the Laifen, the levels were very similar. In fact, without any attachments in place on either dryer, the Laifen was surprisingly several decibels louder than my Conair. I also discovered that the two machines' drying time were nearly identical. That's not a major drawback for the "cons" list because the Swift still delivered dryness in a very short period of time. Plus, maybe neither machine is a particularly noisy dryer. Still, some criticism comes in when I think of the Swift's price tag compared to my cheap Conair's and their similar dry time and sound level.

I was both surprised and pleased with what I saw in the mirror after my diffuser session with the Swift. I'm overdue for a trim, and the resulting shagginess and weight on my hair has made recent styling efforts pretty pointless. My waves were frizz-free and consistent, and its volume let more light pass through the strands, making the blond highlights glow.

The Swift is touted not to damage hair, something that does interest me due to the dry climate I live in along with my outdoorsy lifestyle and advancing age. The Laifen Swift is an ionic dryer. While I've taken it as just an advertising gimmick in the past, ionic technology in hair dryers puts out negative ions that supposedly aid in breaking down the water molecules to speed up drying rather than merely relying on heat. Since high heat can lead to damaged hair, drying with the help of negative ions can protect it from overdrying and frizz. Whether this phenomenon is really happening or not (I'm no scientist), I did notice smoother, less flyaway strands. If this can prevent crazy staticky hair come winter, I'm fully on board. Then maybe I'll relegate the trusty Conair to hair dryer hacks for cleaning and problem solving around the house.

Amazing hair products don't ping on my radar — ever. So I was skeptical about what a higher-quality hair dryer could do for my hair. The Laifen Swift set rings up at $159 on Amazon with free shipping. Comparing it to similar products, it's on the cheaper side for mid-range hair dryers. I am much too frugal to pay this price myself, given my lifestyle and attitude about my hair (even with the lovely condition it left my locks in). However, online reviews are overwhelmingly positive, and the price isn't something that other consumers bemoaned. One reviewer even mentioned using the Swift for professional hair care.

This might not be a top priority for many people, but I am highly impressed with the ecological considerations Laifen took, from packaging to recycled content in the dryer itself. These factors occasionally do sell me on a more expensive product and may do the same for other consumers.

There are definite advantages to the Swift over my budget go-to, but drying speed and quieter function aren't among them. It's close enough to travel-size to fit into an overnight bag without hogging lots of real estate. Along with the magnetic fittings and non-hair-sucking air intake, it's pretty appealing. The eco considerations Laifen took were also noteworthy. Perhaps with long-term use, I'll notice a more marked improvement in my hair quality, but after a couple of tries, I'm not convinced that a substantially more expensive dryer is an improvement over my old Conair. Yet, I'm committed to using the Swift for a few months to find out whether it gives me noticeably better-looking, less staticky hair.

I've used hair dryers throughout my life, mainly for staving off a chill after washing my hair and occasionally for styling. My chosen price range for a new dryer is under $50, so I'm used to equipment without a lot of special features.

I tested the Swift on freshly-washed hair that had dried for about 5 minutes in a towel turban, and it spent another 10 minutes air-drying. I'd added leave-in conditioner and curling gel. My hair is long with a fine strands while still managing to be voluminous, and I always choose the highest heat setting on the hair dryer to power through the moisture quickly. After my whole-head treatment with the diffuser, I later sampled it without an attachment as well as with the remaining two. I parted my hair down the middle and designated each side to compare the two hairdryers; would the Swift perform markedly better than my Conair? I split the halves again: one section on each side dedicated to drying with no attachment and the other for the Swift's styling attachment and the Conair's equivalent.

The fact that Laifen takes environmental concerns into account with both packaging and the material the dryer is made of is a thoughtful plus that adds to the Swift's appeal.

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